Do Your Kids Know Their Halloween Rights?

When I posted this Halloween Bill of Rights last year, #10 got the biggest reaction.

Not rifle through our kids’ stash without permission? Almost no one was onboard. And I get it. We like rifling our kids’ candy collection. It brings back a little of our childhood, doesn’t it? And it’s easy to justify because, really, no one needs that much candy. I’ve admitted to dipping myself. But then, there are your kids’ Halloween Rights. (Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the list of Rights.)

Halloween. Sigh. First we build it up (You’re going to get so much candy!) and then we tear it down (You can’t have all that candy!) I wrote about the love/hate relationship we have with sweets recently in my post, Don’t Pass On Your Food Guilt. Rifling the stash teaches the secrecy. The secrecy teaches the guilt. The whole scenario teaches candy has power.

So here’s my suggestion: Rifle through your kids’ candy, just ask them first.

Think of this as a lesson in sharing. A lesson that candy can be eaten in the light of day. And a lesson that there’s no need to hoard the haul.

See, combine your Halloween Rights with your kids’ Halloween Rights.

And while you’re at it, why not talk to your kids about all 10 of their Halloween Rights?

Open up a dialogue with your children, no matter their age. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know how your children actually feel about the candy and about managing the candy? This will ensure your kids learn the Halloween lessons you’d like them to learn and eliminate the unintended lessons you’d rather avoid.

And by the way…

If you want your children to have less candy in the house after Halloween is over, give them a smaller collection bag to begin with. You know, something somewhat smaller than a suitcase.

The last time I suggested this, one reader told me that limiting the haul would ruin the Halloween fun. But if getting as much candy as possible is the fun, then what’s the costume? The entrance fee?

Is the community festivity just something to be tolerated?

A smaller bucket + Taking only the candy you really like = The Solution to ALL Your Sugar Concerns.